FAU‘S Department of Theater presents Peter Barnes’ award-winning political satire, “Red Noses.” The comedy will run from February 15-24 in Studio One Theater of the Dorothy F. Schmidt Performing Arts Center on the Boca Raton campus. The play follows the true story of Father Flote, a maverick monk who led a traveling band of clergy-turned-comedic-theatre-troupe throughout the countryside in plague-ridden fourteenth century Europe in the hope of alleviating human suffering through laughter – a campaign to jollify the world. It is a story of vision, love, hope and survival of the human spirit even in the worst of times.
Barnes, a British playwright best known for his play “The Ruling Class” and his work on BBC Television, is noted for his political and social satire, as well as his exploration of life’s big questions. In “Red Noses,” he examines the effects of the abuse of power upon the suffering and disenfranchised.
The FAU production features a large ensemble cast of undergraduate and graduate students. The acting style is larger-than-life; it is physical theatre, which presents challenges for the actors. Based on historical fact, the play allows the students to experience the period in which is it set, 1350. The language of the play is heightened and poetic.
Set designer Gvozden Kopani, born in the former Yugoslavia (now Croatia), is an associate professor in the Department of Theatre. He has created a set that is simple in appearance and complex in design, capturing the feel of the times through the use of rough, burlap fabrics. The stage must permit much movement by the actors and accommodate seamless scene changes that do not intrude upon the performance.
FAU theatre performances are scheduled on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for the general public, but FAU students are free. Tickets may be purchased at the Studio One Theater one hour prior to performance, when available. For tickets, call the University Center Box Office at 561-297-3737. Visit Web site www.fau.edu/divdept/schmidt/events.htm. To request a full season schedule, call 561/297-3810.
FAU’S Gimbelstob Eminent Chair in Judaica Presents Dr. Richard A. Freund
A free public lecture will be held presenting “On the New Dead Sea Scrolls and The Last Excavation of Qumran” on Wednesday, February 20 at 4 p.m. in the Performing Arts Building, Room 101 on the Boca Raton Campus.
Dr. Freund’s research examines the mystery surrounding the Dead Sea Scrolls. The existence of a 1,200 tomb cemetery adjacent to the Qumran — and the caves in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were housed — have never been totally understood. In light of the religious sensitivities that exist today, the bodies in the tomb remain unearthed and subsequently unidentified. Dr. Freund proposes the use of ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography to determine what is in the tombs without digging them up.
He will present an overview of the excavations of the Dead Sea Scrolls caves, while showing how this technique has worked in the Cave of Letters and how it relates to the work he will be doing this summer.
The lecture is being sponsored by FAU‘s Gimelstob Eminent Chair in Judaica and the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. For more information, call 561/297-2879, or visit the Web site at www.fau.edu/divdept/schmidt.
Successful Storyteller Series Continues
The FAU Storytellers Series has released three additional events to their spring schedule. The storytellers will emphasis personal, original stories.
The series will begin on Thursday, February 21, from 12:30-1:45 pm. in Heritage Park located at the south end of the “Breezeway” by the residence halls) on the Boca Raton campus the series continues with Emmy-winner and national festival star Jim May who will perform original material that captures his insights, personality and rural American background. Rain location: Covered barbecue area in park
The next event on Wednesday, April 3, 2-3:15 p.m., Heritage Park (south end of breezeway, by residence halls) will present author Cornelia Walker Bailey in honor of Women’s History Month, who will delight her audience with tales from her heritage in the historic African-American community of Sapelo Island, Georgia. Rain location: Covered barbecue area in park.
And on the Davie Campus on Wednesday, March 27, 4:20-5:30 p.m., between Liberal Arts and Education Science buildings, Miami’s own Lucia Gonzalez will spin a storyteller’s web of personal and folk tales from her Cuban background. Her books will be available for sale. Rain location: East breezeway.
Refreshments are provided. Instructors may bring their classes to any of the presentations. Contact Caren Neile at 561/392-4780 or Elaine Stern at 561/297-3850 to make arrangements for classes to attend, to order additional seating and refreshments or more information.
Sponsors for the series are FAU‘s Communication Department, FAU Storytelling Club, Agency for Graduate Concerns, Broward Graduate Council, Student Government Multicultural Affairs, Boca Senate, Delray Beach Marriott. Sponsoring professors are: Dr. Becky Mulvaney, Dr. Silvia Palenzuela, Dr. Patricia Darlington and Dr. Josephine Beoku-Betts.
